CENTRE OF STUDIES FOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
COLLEGE OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT STUDY, UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA SELANGOR,KAMPUS P. ALAM
CF/AP248 BACH. OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE (HONS.)
LAS514 – URBAN LANDSCAPE PLANNING / LAN514 – URBAN LANDSCAPE DESIGN
U R B A N DI A G N O S I S – SITE VISIT, INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS
1.0 DESCRIPTION Urban Fabric Attributes
The urban fabric consists of a complex layers of interdependent structures, elements and context. This
complex fabric was formed through a responsive respond from its local culture, history, values,
identity, needs, beliefs, image, expression, meaning etc.
As population grew, the needs for new development become a growing concern. Currently, typical
development process and product have become entangled in a system which produces developments,
but not place.
City Branding Through Placemaking + Inclusivity – Urban Space for All
Placemaking is both a process and a philosophy. It is centred around observing, listening to and asking
questions of the people who live, work, and play in a particular space in order to understand their
needs and aspirations for that space and for their community as a whole.
Placemaking refers to a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm towards the
creation of people-places oriented design with maximize shared value.
2.0 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
i. Able to understand complexity of urban elements and the importance of placemaking.
ii. Able to practice the technique of data collection from secondary data.
iii. Able to rationalise opinion and analysis in relation to suitable urban design literatures.
BRIEFING DATE PROJECT DURATION GROUP MEMBERS SUBMISSION FORMAT
: 10 OCTOBER 2023
: 4 WEEKS
: Total of 6 groups (12-13 members/group) : A1 POSTER PRESENTATION
3.0 CASE STUDY
Selected site will be based on the followings: Kuala Kangsar, Perak.
4.0 TOPIC / FOCUS OF STUDY
A. Main Topic
• Land use and District Analysis
• Building Use, Form and Massing Analysis
• Circulation, Pedestrian and Parking Analysis
• Open Space and Activity Support Analysis
• Imageability and Environmental Analysis
B. Focus of Study
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES
i. Physical Properties of Urban Districts with its context
• The intervention/ interaction between terminal stations/marketplaces & existing community
places/neighbourhood.
• Quality of existing districts, urban structures, services, nodes, infrastructures etc.
• Sense of ownership/district characteristics (Public domain, Semi Public, Semi Private, Private
• domain, type of industry, commercial, institution etc.)
ii. Layout and Surrounding Buildings
• Quality/effectiveness of existing building typology, placement (location), size and orientation
of existing urban spaces.
• Integration between Building Use with existing outdoor spaces and lifestyle.
• Effectiveness of Focal spaces with Community Place (the quality of its transition spaces with
existing connectivity to channel users to other nodes).
iii. Movement & Pedestrian Flow
• The link between terminal stations/marketplace & existing circulation system: Circulation
(pedestrian-private vehicle-public vehicle-service vehicle)
• Quality of street life, walking environment ,movement order, social interaction, and quality
of life.
• Identification and analysis of successful features and unsuccessful features.
iv. Spatial Quality
• Analysing the typology, placement (location), size and orientation of existing urban spaces.
• Quality of existing street life, nodes, squares, plazas, linear nodes etc.(Uses, Spatial
organization, Infrastructure, Amenities, Facilities, Planting Design)
• Interrelation and quality of existing indoor vs outdoor space (with reference to Path, Portal
and Place).
v. Imageability Study
• Distribution & interrelation of 5 Physical Element of the City.
• The implication of these physical elements on Sense of Navigation, Wayfinding quality and
image of the place.
vi. Environmental Impact
• The quality of environment in relation to local lifestyle, microclimatic condition and
development impact.
• Reduce impervious spaces, increase green spaces (reclaiming lost spaces & massive parking
spaces)
• Distinctiveness of existing environmental setting (river, topography, hills, natural zones,
green lung etc) as unique place character.
• Impact of existing urban setting & vegetation on human comfort, quality of life and place
identity.
NON-PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES
i. Social Activity & Quality
• Identifying type of social activities (Necessary, Optional, Social), the meaning and image
created by existing social activities.
• The distinctiveness of existing social/cultural practices or daily lifestyle that give meaning to
the people (sense of identity/pride)
ii. Social Connection
• Relationship of different human activities between different areas/district/community.
• Interrelation of social atmosphere/ambiance between different places.
iii. Social Cohesion
• Diversity of social activity, demographic diversity, community engagement & unity.
iv. Social Interaction
• Identifying the quality of human interaction – word, gesture, local language, tone of voice
C. Main References
• LAN/LAS514 Inventory and Analysis Guide by Studio Master
• Urban Design Reader - Path Portal Place
• UD Compendium by Davies - Appreciating Context, Creating Urban Structure, Making
• Connections, Detailing the place
• Placemaking by PPS - Access and linkage, Uses and Activity, Sociability, Comfort and image
• Responsive Environment by Bentley - Permeability, Variety, Legibility, Robustness, Richness,
Visual Appropriateness, Personalisation
• Imageability Study by Lynch - Landmark, Nodes, Edges, District, Path
5.0 THE PROCESS
Each group are required to provide a thorough study (desk study + field study) on the selected site
based on the following criteria:
A. INTRODUCTION (INVENTORY - UNDERSTANDING SITE AND ITS CONTEXT)
• Site introduction and its contextual study of your site based on the given study topic/focus.
• Establish a proper Base map based on different scales (macro : town scale / micro : building
and construction scale)
• Study the site’s existing and future planning via supporting documents (secondary data) that
related to your topic/focus. (Structure Plan / Local Plan / Design Standards / Development
Guidelines etc.)
B. CONTENT
i. WHAT & WHERE? (INVENTORY - EXPLORING SITE CONDITION AND ITS CONTEXT)
• Inventory on the typology of attributes/elements based on the given topic by using base
map. (refer to Inventory and Analysis Guide)
• Demarcate the size/scale, location and intensity of your inventory on the established
• Make Rating on your inventory based on the given topic / focus (Eg: Most Preferred, Most
Not Preferred, Safest, Dangerous, Hazardous, Most Efficient, Most Inefficient, Functional,
Non- functional, Sustainable, Non-sustainable, Most Conducive, Most Interesting, Most
Confusing etc.)
• Based on the ratings done previously, analyse/justify the cause of each rating that you have
produced (check whether the existing design is feasible and practical to the site & its
context).
• Focus your rating based on different scales (macro :town scale/micro: building and
construction scale)
ii. WHY? (INVENTORY & ANALYSIS - THE ISSUES & CAUSES)
• Identify the site issues based on inventory, review of secondary data and field survey (if
possible).
• Analyse / rationalise the cause of the issue, flaws and why the existing design do not
work/fail (understand the difference between issues, cause, contributors and effects)
• Categorise the issues based on Physical, Social or Environmental issue.
• Focus the issues based on scale/proportion of the site and its context. (Eg.: Macro scale for
macro issue, micro scale for micro issue)
iii. HOW? (ANALYSIS - THE IMPACT)
• Identify the impact / effect of the mentioned issues based on your site visit (via desk study or
field survey) and explore if the existing design do not work/fail ( do understand the difference
between issues, cause, contributors and effects)
• Categorise the impacts based on Physical, Social or Environmental impact
• Rationalize/justifytheimpact(theoretically)basedontheactualattributesandscale/proportion
at the study area. (Eg. : Macro scale for macro impact, micro scale for micro impact)
C. SUMMARY
• Evaluating overall analysis (+ve and –ve aspect) of the existing site condition on urban fabric
and human.
• Recommendation / initial solution (useful for future planning and redesigning these sites)
based on site issues / condition.
• You may summarise your findings based on SWOT Analysis (Strength / Weakness /
Opportunities / Threats) but remember, document it on MAP.
ENJOY THE PROJECT. ALL THE BEST
